STANFORD, Calif. – Add another chapter to the storied history of Stanford and Penn State women's volleyball. The top-seeded Cardinal prevailed this time in front of an electric crowd at Maples Pavilion, defeating No. 8 Penn State, 3-1, on Saturday.
Stanford (32-1) advances to its third straight national semifinal and 22nd overall – the most in the nation. The Cardinal won its 30th consecutive match and extended its nation-best home winning streak to 36. Head coach Kevin Hambly is now 32-0 in Maples Pavilion in two seasons at the helm of the program.
The Nittany Lions (26-8) looked in control of the match with a 16-11 lead midway through the second set after defeating Stanford 25-18 in the opening set. The Cardinal had to dig deep to chip away at the deficit. Junior outside hitter Kathryn Plummer simply took over and eventually tied it up at 21-21. A block by setter Jenna Gray and senior Tami Alade gave Stanford its first lead at 23-22. Plummer finished off the comeback with two more kills bring her second-set total to 10.
?? Another look at the block by Alade & @jennagray22 that gave the Card the lead in the second.#GoStanfordpic.twitter.com/TncsbbBZa0
— Stanford Women's Volleyball (@StanfordWVB) December 9, 2018
Plummer was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Stanford Regional. She tallied 23 kills on .383 hitting to go with 10 digs and three blocks. The recorded her ninth 20-kill outing of the year and her 10th double-double of the season.
It's Kathryn Plummer's world, and we're just living in it!#NCAAVB pic.twitter.com/OtzrsEYmZI
— NCAA Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) December 9, 2018
Gray and Alade joined Plummer on the Stanford All-Region Team. Gray dished out 52 assists to go with three aces and five critical blocks. Alade had eight kills on a .500 attack percentage and six blocks.
Junior Morgan Hentz posted a match-high 18 digs. The libero has registered double-digit digs in 32 of Stanford's 33 matches this season.
Sophomore Meghan McClure also turned in a double-double, her ninth of the season. The outside hitter came up big down the stretch, finishing with 12 kills on .321 hitting, 14 digs and three blocks. Coming up with some timely kills and blocks, junior opposite Audriana Fitzmorris added 10 kills and three blocks. Freshman middle blocker Holly Campbell matched Alade with six blocks and also had six kills.
That angle by Fitzmorris though ??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/nB4Y0y4NDT
— Stanford Women's Volleyball (@StanfordWVB) December 9, 2018
Penn State was led by senior Nia Reed's 12 kills and four blocks. Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jonni Parker chipped in with 11 kills and eight digs, while fifth-year senior Taylor Leath had 10 kills and eight digs.
Parker along with Penn State libero Kendall White were named to the Stanford All-Region Team. Washington State's Taylor Mims and Washington's Kara Bajema were also recognized.
Stanford and Penn State are tied for the most NCAA championships in Division I women's volleyball history at seven. The Cardinal and Nittany Lions are the only two programs in the nation to have appeared in all 38 NCAA Tournaments.
No. 1 Stanford will get a rematch with No. 4 BYU in the first national semifinal on Thursday in Minneapolis. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT on ESPN.